Observation #7

Site: A pond in Melody Ranch

Date: May 26, 2008

Time: 5:00pm

Temperature: 55 Degrees F

Weather Conditions: Cloudy

Wind Condidtions:slightly breezy

Soil Conditions: Moist



Over the last few days there has been a constant rain. All the rain has caused the water of my pond to rise significantly, almost three feet! This has made the pond deeper and colder instead of a shallow warm body of water. The warmer water had benefitted the local leaches because those organisms tend to enjoy warmer water. The rise in the water level could potentaly decrease the leach population in the pond. The recent rainfall has also made a significant amount of change in the pond's vegitation. Because the pond level has rose about three feet it has covered some plants that used to be at the waters edge. These plants consist of Dandelions, Thistles, weeds, and other low vegatation. These flora can no longer be food for the local organisms including geese and ducks because they are now under the water and are covered in soil. With the rise in water there is no longer a large space to grow vegatation. The bird's nest I found a couple of weeks ago is unfortunatly no longer there. It has been carried off in the wind, or knocked down or destroyed by the recent rain. This is another predator of the bird communtiy. Although the nests of many birds have been destroyed I hope that the bird population continues to thrive and the weather will give these organisms a break.